THE VICE OF THE VIRTUOUS

    By A. W. Tozer

    Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
    Romans 12:21

       A bad disposition has been called "the vice of the
    virtuous," which brings us directly to the conclusion
    that it is time we Christians stop trying to excuse our
    un-Christlike dispositions and frankly admit our failure
    to live as we should!

       Wesley said that we will not injure the cause of Christ
    by admitting our sins, but that we are sure to do so by
    denying them.

       Dispositional sins are as many as the various facets of
    human nature. Just so there be no misunderstanding let
    us list a few of them: Sensitiveness, irritability, churlishness,
    faultfinding, peevishness, temper, resentfulness, cruelty,
    uncharitable attitudes; and of course there are many more.

       These kill the spirit of the church and slow down
    any progress which the gospel may be making in the
    community. Many persons who had been secretly
    longing to find Christ have been turned away and
    embittered by manifestations of ugly dispositional
    flaws in the lives of the very persons who were trying
    to win them!

       Unsaintly saints are the tragedy of Christianity. The
    low state of religion in our day is largely due to the lack
    of public confidence in religious people.

       There is a remedy for inward evil. The power of
    Christ can enable the worst of us to live lives of purity
    and love. We have but to seek it and to lay hold of it in
    faith. God will not disappoint us!

    Yours in Christ,
    Paul N. F.